This invention relates to optical component placement methods and apparatus in general, and more particularly to precision opto-mechanical assembly of fiberoptic telecommunication components.
Development of high productivity methods for manufacturing precision opto-mechanical assemblies is important to ensure large volume production of fiberoptic telecommunication assemblies. Such methods generally avoid active alignment of components using measured device optical performance but rather maintain high mechanical tolerances during assembly so as to achieve the required optical performance. Vision systems are widely used in the precision assembly of mechanical components. In order to achieve high accuracy placement with the assistance of machine vision, an assembly robot needs to have high resolution, a repeatable motion control system and a stiff mechanical structure. The main advantage of utilizing the machine vision system is in reduced requirements for motion control, mechanical structure accuracy, and parts handling accuracy by the assembly robot""s arm tool.
An object of the invention is to provide a method for precision placement of an optical component on a substrate with relaxed requirements pertaining to a robot""s motion control system and mechanical structure.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for precision placement of an optical component on a substrate with relaxed requirements pertaining to a robot""s motion control system and mechanical structure.
With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, there is provided an apparatus for precision placement of an optical component on a substrate and precision assembly thereof into a fiber optic telecommunication package, the apparatus comprising: a machine vision system for locating the optical component relative to a fiducial point on the substrate; contact determiner means for determining contact of the optical component and the substrate with one another; and a robot being configured for contacting the optical component and the substrate with one another under guidance from the contact determiner means, and the robot being further configured for moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another under guidance from the machine vision system toward a desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate; wherein said optical component and the substrate contact one another for at least a portion of the movement of the optical component and the substrate toward the desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention there is provided a method for precision placement of an optical component on a substrate and precision assembly thereof into a telecommunication package, the method comprising: contacting the optical component and the substrate with one another; locating the optical component relative to a fiducial point on the substrate; and moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another toward a desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate; wherein the optical component and the substrate contact one another for at least a portion of the step of moving the optical component and the substrate relative to one another toward the desired position of the optical component relative to the fiducial point on the substrate.
The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts and method steps will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular devices and method steps embodying the invention are shown by way of illustration only and not as limitations of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.